It gives a fairly comprehensive overview of synchrotron radiation applications in low temperature geochemistry and environmental science, describes the ways that synchrotron radiation is generated, including a history of synchrotrons and a discussion of aspects of synchrotron radiation that are important to the experimentalist, describes specific synchrotron methods that are most useful for single-crystal surface and mineral-fluid interface studies as well as methods that can be used more generally for investigating complex polyphase fine-grained or amorphous materials, including soils, rocks, and organic matter.